“You saw so much devastation, you had everything – sudden deaths, suicides, violence, and road traffic accidents,” said retired paramedic Jim Kennedy.
Mr Kennedy, who worked for the National Ambulance Service (NAS) for 35 years, was one of thousands to participate in National Services Day on Saturday, with 1,250 people marching in Dublin’s parade alone, alongside 84 vehicles.
“We’re probably one of the only groups who can go into a house, and go upstairs unhindered. They’re delighted to see you because you’re there to help,” he said
Retired in 2017, he began his career in 1982 when there were eight health boards, before the establishment of the NAS in 2005.
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The 67-year-old from Greystones, Co Wicklow originally worked under the Eastern Health Board and was based in Loughlinstown, Co Dublin. While the work involved can be stressful and challenging, “I loved every minute of it, you’re out there helping people who are at their most vulnerable,” he said.
“There are some gruesome sights, I’ve seen a lot of them over the years, but you still went in and you look forward to it, there’s great camaraderie and great friendships.”
Support has improved vastly since the beginning of his career, when colleagues relied on one another for support, particularly after serious calls or distressing scenes.
“For serious calls they deal with today, they’re offered downtime or peer support, but in our day, it was next call, next call,” he said.
Mr Kennedy still works closely with the NAS, voluntarily helping to repair vehicles, with one project in particular involving bringing a 1979 ambulance back to life – a long-standing ambition of his.
It is a model that “brings back memories”, he said, one which he would have driven when he began his lifelong service.
“It’s how it was and how it is,” he said, pointing to the new model used today.
The Dublin event, which involved a lunchtime parade from the Garden of Remembrance to Dublin Castle, where there was a vehicle and equipment display, was just one of several across the country. There were marches in Galway, Cork, Kilkenny, Wexford, Kildare and Limerick, with representatives from 25 different organisations, both statutory and voluntary, involved.
“We all thrive on recognition,” said Aiden Hanna, chair of National Service Day, adding that many of those present on Saturday, and who work on the frontline, are volunteers.
Mr Hanna said the day of recognition, which began in 2012, is going “from strength to strength”.
“We’ve taken over O’Connell Street and it’s great to have the main thoroughfare completely full of emergency services,” he said, adding that members of the public thrive on the opportunity to engage with frontline workers during a showcase at Dublin Castle.
“The last thing you want is to see an ambulance outside your house and be carried out on a stretcher – now you can walk over to a paramedic and say you’re thinking of joining,” he said.
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